1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to bicycles and, more particularly, to an improved semi-recumbent bicycle which includes a frame having a main seat support tube, a steering mechanism rotatably mounted on the frame including a front tire support fork, front and rear wheels, pedals for powered rotation of one of the wheels, a bicycle seat mounted above and forwards of the rear wheel which includes a bicycle seat frame, a seat base with a seat cushion, a seat back adjustably mounted on the bicycle seat frame for adjustment of the height of the generally upright seat back relative to the seat base and the distance the generally upright seat back is spaced from the seat base, the seat cushion including a generally flat planar front face and a forwardly tilted top surface such that said front face is positioned lower than the rear portion of the seat cushion and the top surface is forwardly tilted from horizontal between two and thirty degrees (2° and 30°), and the front face of the seat cushion is positioned above and rearwards of the pedals and the bicycle seat frame is adjustably mounted on the main seat support tube free of any other support connection to the bicycle frame thereby providing a selectable comfort level for the user of the bicycle of the present invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many different types of bicycles are currently used by bicycling enthusiasts, including standard upright-type bicycles, recumbents and tricycles, to name but a few of the different types of cycles currently available. Traditional, upright-type bicycles have pedals which are almost directly below the rider which cause the legs to move in an up and down motion. Because of this up and down motion, the seats on all traditional bicycles must be narrow enough to allow the legs to move freely during the pedaling motion. This required the use of what is now known as the “pommel” seat, which is used with virtually every traditional bicycle manufactured today. The height of the seat is adjustable to give the rider the proper distance to the pedals.
Regarding the recumbent bicycle, these have pedals positioned in front of the seat which cause the rider to pedal in forward and backward motion instead of the up and down motion of the traditional bicycle. Because of this pedal motion, the recumbent bicycle may be fitted with a seat which is wide and generally flat to support the buttocks of the rider of the recumbent bicycle. The horizontal positioning of the seat is adjustable to give the rider the proper distance to the pedals. Each of these bicycles has inherent advantages and defects in their design and use, but so long as they are used for their intended purpose, they will generally provide a safe and enjoyable exercise and travel vehicle. While it is generally true that upright bicycles are more popular than recumbent bicycles, it should be noted that one of the significant advantages enjoyed by the recumbent bicycles is that they are far more comfortable to sit on due to the support characteristics of the seat on the bicycle. Specifically, the vast majority of recumbent bicycles include a seat having a seat base and a seat back which allows the rider of the bicycle to recline during operation of the bicycle and thus increase the comfort level of the individual using the bicycle.
One type of bicycle that has been developed to incorporate superior elements of both traditional and recumbent bicycles is the semi-recumbent bicycle, in which the pedal position is somewhere between the positioning of the traditional and the recumbent. This means that the legs of the user of the semi-recumbent bicycle extend forwards and downwards, and this means that the seat on the semi-recumbent bicycle generally is of the type found on traditional bicycles, i.e. the pommel type of seat. The few that attempt to incorporate wider seats still must use a pommel in the front to permit the proper leg movement for pedaling. However, there is a distinct need for a wide, generally flat seat which can be used on a semi-recumbent bicycle for increased comfort yet which will not interfere with the operation of the pedals of the semi-recumbent bicycle.
One of the key features affecting the comfort level found in seats having seat bases and seat backs is whether the seat is generally flat or whether the seat is of the more traditional pommel-type style of seat as is generally necessary for use in connection with bicycles which are not recumbents. A bicycle seat of the pommel-type style will not provide a significant increase in the comfort level of the user of the bicycle even if it includes a back, as the design of the pommel-type style of bicycle seat does not encourage a user to recline on the bicycle seat to engage the seat back. The positioning of the handlebars on traditional bicycles also prevents the user from being able to lean back because one must lean forward to grasp the handlebars.
However, when the bicycle seat is of the larger, flat variety, it is very difficult if not impossible to use the seat with upright or semi-recumbent bicycles because it interferes with the pedaling motion of these bicycles. In fact, the large, flat types of seats, until now, have only been used on recumbents. There is therefore a need for a modified bicycle seat, including a seat back, which includes a flat front surface which may be used in connection with more upright bicycles which combine the best elements of upright bicycles and recumbents without greatly sacrificing the comfort and performance characteristics of either, namely, semi-recumbents.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle which includes a seat having a seat back which is movable with and adjusts with the seat base as the seat base height is adjusted, yet may also be adjusted independently to provide proper support for the individual's back who is using the bicycle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle in which the seat, specifically the seat cushion, includes a generally flat front surface to provide maximum support for the legs of the user, yet which will permit the user to pedal the bicycle as he or she desires.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle in which the angle between the rotational axis of the pedals and the front face of the seat is between forty and fifty-five degrees (40° and 55°).
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle in which the seat includes a forwardly tilted top surface to permit the user of the bicycle seat to pedal the bicycle while also being able to recline on the seat to support his or her back on the seat back.
Finally, another object of the present invention is to provide an improved semi-recumbent bicycle which is relatively simple and durable in construction and is safe and comfortable in use.